Chapter 175 – A New Phase (5)
“Is it insufficient? Is this not enough?!”
[…Takilas has returned to Korea. The strongest enemy has disappeared.]
“That’s not what’s important right now!”
In the deep underground secret nest, Razak scolded O Insun. The composure he usually displayed had largely vanished.
His plan to completely cover this world with his soldiers was gradually falling apart.
“What on earth are those skeletons?!”
Razak, fuming, shook with anger. The greatest obstacle to his plan was naturally Ashburn’s Undead Army.
Razak’s unique tactics were all sealed against the Undead Army. Both sides shared an immunity to death and fear, and Ashburn’s magic negated the extraordinary magic they wielded.
To make matters worse, capturing and digesting them was impossible, and instead, they absorbed magic from their allies to replenish their forces, making them exceedingly difficult to deal with.
[Are we unable to win?]
“That can’t be! But since those skeletons have teamed up with the humans, if we delay, it’s true that we will find ourselves at a disadvantage. Hmph…”
Razak monitored the battlefield in real-time. He had been so focused on the power struggle with Ashburn that he was neglecting the Allied Forces, who had already accomplished their goals.
If the Allied Forces tightened their grip as well, Razak’s dividing troops would crumble under the pressure.
“We need a method.”
[As for the method…]
“A way to buy time and make the humans lose their sanity. Prepare a special squad.”
Razak, racking his brain, ultimately decided to gamble to create a variable. Numerous eyes glimmered ominously, bursting with madness.
“The humans here are pathetic. If they cause a ruckus in their own master bedroom, they will surely be bewildered.”
[This could be poking the beehive. It’s true that the people on Earth are diverse, but if public opinion coalesces, the explosive power…]
“The only variable is that transcendent being!”
O Insun suggested a cautious approach, but Razak, already frantic, dismissed her.
“Attack. Create chaos with the assault. In the meantime, I must find a way to deal with the skeletons. I will spare no means or methods.”
Razak divided his forces into several branches.
He sent them scattering in all directions. Instead of going to the ground, an elite task force that could fly through the clouds began to soar toward their destination.
“To the humans, I will show you that you cannot unite.”
Tentacles writhed from Razak’s body as he grinned.
At this point, Razak had long abandoned the thought of conquering the world solely with his own power.
“I have a task for you. I will lend you my body; complete the mission.”
[What is it?]
“It’s the same. Spare no means or methods to bind Takilas to that land.”
Razak did not stop there; he also assigned a mission to O Insun. Even just hearing it was no easy task. It might as well have been telling her to simply go and die.
[Let’s do that.]
But she had no choice. After all, Razak had collateralized her life.
‘Takilas.’
And O Insun considered this an opportunity. She had harbored a thought from the moment she first laid eyes on Takilas.
‘Whatever happens next is irrelevant. I will expose that identity to the entire world.’
She knew all too well what could strike a fatal blow to any Magical Girl.
In Korea, and now China, the overwhelming power of Takilas had shattered all designs, and her hatred had reached its peak.
*
“Monsters are flying through the sky, attacking major cities around the world, causing terror and destruction!”
“They’re flailing about. The prices are going to rise again.”
“What if they come here to our country?”
Early in the morning, Kim Soo-jung woke me up in a frenzy, probably after seeing the news flash.
“That’s not much to worry about.”
“That’s true, but…”
As I scoffed, she scratched her head.
It was rumored that that bastard Razak couldn’t subdue Ashburn and was pulling tricks while units from the United States, Japan, and Europe were deployed to strike the Allied Forces around the world, yet the Korean Peninsula remained quiet.
“Why?”
Kim Soo-jung seemed genuinely puzzled as she pondered with a serious expression. Ignoring that, I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to wash my face.
“Is it your fault?”
“Maybe. I’ve been showing up in Korea recently, so if they saw that…”
Ren, who had been watching, chimed in, and I agreed. Not boasting; that guy Razak was cunning enough.
As for me, if he was intimidated enough to retreat on his own, I had no intention of drawing his ire first.
“Jin-ah!”
But just as I returned to the room with wet hair, Kim Soo-jung rushed over, shoving her phone at me.
“I’m relaying this to Takilas.”
It was a live news broadcast. It showed a legion soldier that looked like a bug dressed in brown armor, standing on a building rooftop with a young girl around my age in its grasp.
Furthermore, the buglike creature spoke human words in a scratchy voice from within its helmet, mentioning my name.
“We originally had no plans to attack this land. Even if some of you joined the opposing Allied Forces. But you attacked us first. Therefore… we have no choice but to retaliate.”
“U-AAAAAAGH!!!”
The creature rambled on, then grabbed the girl by the ankle and lifted her upside down as if to throw her downwards.
Naturally, the girl screamed and cried, every grotesque detail glaringly broadcast to the horrified viewers.
“This kid… she’s about the same age as you. The arrogant little brat who acted all high and mighty. Take responsibility for your friend’s life. Though I won’t give a damn about your four years.”
The intention was clear. Provocation and then threats? Pathetic and pitiful, yet that bastard Razak was openly challenging me.
“Jin-ah…”
“I’ll go just in case. You stay here.”
I left the room. Kim Soo-jung tried to stop me in shock, but I shook her off. How dare he provoke me? If I couldn’t trample him for that, I wouldn’t even deserve the title of Demon King.
“This is getting fun!”
Even as I shot off, a laugh escaped me.
When was the last time I had openly taken on a challenge like this? I think it was when Aria did.
“Don’t! I can’t shoot! The girl will get hurt!”
“I can catch her from below! Just shoot! Shoot!”
“I-I don’t know!”
In the end, an arrow was fired from her trembling hands. The gleaming arrow pierced the air, heading straight for the target.
Right at the creature’s forehead that held the girl’s ankle.
“…”
But the arrow was repelled by a bluish shield, bouncing off without inflicting even a crack on it.
“This can’t be!”
“Are we unable to handle this with our power? But all the High-Ranked Magical Girls are with the Allied Forces…”
They despaired upon witnessing it. Indeed, it was no monster that could be toppled by the power of an average Magical Girl.
“Everyone, step back.”
“Huh?!”
“Ta-Takilas!”
As I opened my mouth, they finally noticed me and quickly cleared a path in the air. In that state, I coiled the shadow in my hand into a spear.
“You should know your place, you monster.”
Then, I threw the spear. The magical energy exploded from it, flying at tremendous speed, shattering the creature’s shield and piercing its chest, embedding deep into the rooftop floor.
“GYAAAAAAAH!”
The shockwave caused the girl hanging below to fall dozens of meters towards the ground. Seeing her land safely on a safety net set by the rescue team, I flew toward the creature.
“Fool. At that speed, what can you possibly do?”
Perched on the railing, I laughed at the creature still writhing with the spear embedded in it.
It wasn’t trying to drop the girl; its left hand wielded a weapon gleaming to behead the upside-down girl. Although it was cut short before it could swing.
“You saved your friend.”
“What is your goal? If you wish to fight me, show yourself, Razak. I shall gladly accept.”
“Why should I… do that? You are… the very definition of absurdity…”
“What?”
“But you too… will find it hard to fight comfortably. From now on, I will continue to kill girls between the ages of 12 and 15… until I can kill you, the one who has released her transformation… today’s event was merely a show.”
“That’s a laughable threat. You think I’d blink an eye at that?”
“Young girls residing in Seoul… there aren’t many… rookie. If you wish to stop this… there is only one thing you must do. Reveal your true form to the public.”
“What trash you speak, you piece of garbage.”
Furrowing my brow, I severed the creature’s neck without hesitation. Of course, what had died now was merely some sort of terminal or robot.
To capture him, I’d ultimately need to deal with the main body.
“But if this pathetic one’s words are true, what will you do then?!”
Ren’s tone, completely oblivious, rang in my ears.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
